This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 100 51 666.1, filed in Germany Oct. 18, 2000.
The invention relates to a container that is fastened to a vehicle in a detachable manner. Preferred embodiments of the invention relate to a container that can be locked and fastened to a vehicle with lockable fastening devices in a detachable manner, made of material impenetrable toward gaining unauthorized access to the contents.
Such a container, made of rigid material in the form of a metal box, has been known as a container for valuables in motor vehicles from German Patent Document No. DE 2916038 A1.
A collapsible container in the design of a folding bag, which can be fastened within the vehicle as a storage container for parts, is shown in German Patent Document No. DE 8509818 U.
German Patent Document No. DE 3730459 A1 describes a container made of flexible material in the design of a bag that can be fastened in the interior of a vehicle in a detachable manner.
Cut-resistant folding materials are known from German Patent Document No. DE 4441842 A1 with regard to motor vehicle parts and from German Patent Document No. DE 8900151 U with regard to containers in the design of bags.
The invention relates to the problem of incorporating within a motor vehicle, particularly in its passenger compartment, a theft-proof container that can be fastened to the vehicle body in a detachable manner and is secured against unauthorized opening with appropriate material and an appropriate opening mechanism, which in the empty state is stored in a space-saving and aesthetically appealing manner. Furthermore the container should be able to be filled also in the fastened state, wherein in this state, it should take up a larger storage area than in the empty state, however by being stored as inconspicuously as possible in vehicle parts used for other purposes and/or on the vehicle body itself.
This problem is solved according to preferred embodiments of the invention by providing a container that can be locked and fastened to a vehicle with lockable fastening devices in a detachable manner, made of material impenetrable toward gaining unauthorized access to the contents, wherein the container is designed as a bag and that the impenetrable material is foldable.
Beneficial and useful embodiments are described below and in the claims.
The invention is based on the general idea of designing a theft-proof impenetrable container made of foldable material in the form of a collapsing, lockable bag, which is stored as inconspicuously as possible within the interior of a motor vehicle and connected with the vehicle in a theft-proof manner. When detached from the vehicle, the container can be handled like a regular bag and is designed with appropriate carrying handles for this purpose in the usual bag-like manner. The closure of the container itself as well as the fastener to the vehicle can beneficially be provided as uniform closure devices that fulfill both purposes.
The coverage means, with which the collapsing container is covered in the empty state within the vehicle, can be linked to the vehicle side in a swiveling manner. These means can have the form of a flap, which in itself is collapsible again, in order to be able to reach e.g. around the container from above at an angle when it is fastened above the container, which is attached to the vehicle side. The coverage means are beneficially integrated in the inside molding of a motor vehicle, i.e. are a component of it.